Do I Need a Pre-pregnancy Mental Health Consultation
If you are reading this, you most likely are thinking of having a baby. So much planning goes into bringing a new life into this world. You make sure you have room in your home. You check your health insurance. You think about what you will do for work while on leave. You want to give your little one the best chance in life. Then you remember your mental health and wonder, can I stay on my psych medications? Do I need to make changes or stop my medication? If you have these questions, a pre-pregnancy mental health consultation may be helpful for you.
Assessing Your Risk Factors
Navigating your mental wellness is just as vital as your physical prenatal care. You may benefit from a consultation if any of the following apply to you:
- Personal History: Do you currently or have you previously suffered from anxiety, depression, PTSD, or ADHD?
- Family History: Did a close relative struggle with postpartum depression or severe burnout?
- Medication Management: Are you currently on psychiatric medications, or have you been in the past? Are you wondering if they are safe to continue?
- Support Systems: Are you moving to a new city with limited support, or have you struggled with major life transitions in the past?
- Previous Therapy: Have you found therapy helpful during stressful periods and want to ensure you have that “safety net” in place?
All of the above are excellent reasons to seek a pre-pregnancy consultation. This proactive approach helps prevent you from having to figure it all out while you are already navigating the physical demands of pregnancy or the postpartum period.
What to Expect During a Consultation
During a pre-pregnancy consultation, we focus on prevention and preparation. We will create an individualized treatment plan tailored specifically to your history and your goals. Your treatment provider will help you navigate the evidence-based research to weigh the risks and benefits of various treatments during pregnancy.
There are many effective paths to wellness, and your plan might include a combination of:
- Individual or Group Therapy
- Strategic Psychiatric Medication Management
- Nutrition and Physical Exercise
- Building and Strengthening Support Networks
- Advanced options like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Start Your Journey with Confidence
Planning for your mental health is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your future child.
Book an appointment with our treatment team to get your individualized treatment plan.
To learn more about the clinic and our approach, click the Learn More button below. If you are ready to start your planning, click Request Consultation.
This post was medically reviewed byDr. Asheena Lee,a Board-Certified Psychiatrist with 14 years of experience specializing in reproductive and perinatal mental health. She founded Fully Living Clinic to provide high-level, personalized care to the Long Beach community.
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